New Year Generates New State Employee Laws for Some Small Business Owners

Published on Dec 21, 2010

Summary

Read 'New Year Generates New State Employee Laws for Some Small Business Owners' at 'Time to Start Up,' the small business blog by BizFilings.

For small business owners, keeping up with all the new tax laws can be a job in itself.
Thank goodness the experts at Business Owner's Tookit are staying on top of the state employment laws.
Take a look at this short state-by-state list below to see what changes you can possibly expect in your state for 2011:
California: Discrimination against employees who take leave for organ or bone marrow donation is prohibited, effective Jan. 1, 2011. Additionally, employees in construction, certain security services, electrical and gas corporations and commercial drivers may be exempt from California's general rule for required meal breaks for employees.
Illinois: The Employee Privacy Credit Act prohibits employers from using a person's credit history to determine employment, recruiting, compensation or discharge decisions. Employers are not permitted to inquire about an applicant or employee's credit history and can't discriminate against an employee or applicant based on credit history. This new law goes into effect promptly Jan. 1, 2011. Also, employment protections are in place for whistleblowers who work in nursing homes. There are new rules for out-of-state minors obtaining work permits in Illinois as well for 2011.
Missouri: The state's minimum wage for 2011 will remain $7.25 per hour.
Montana: The state's minimum wage will increase for 2011 from $7.25 per hour to $7.35 per hour.
New Hampshire: Tipped employees have been defined to include restaurant delivery workers through December 31, 2011.
New York: The state's minimum wage law is amended regarding two of the exemptions from New York's hourly minimum wage requirements. Effective November 29, 2010, certain live-in employees are not exempt from the minimum wage requirements and the exemption for babysitters is amended to limit the exemption to those working in the home of an employer only on a casual basis.
Ohio: The state's minimum wage will increase from $7.30 per hour to $7.40 per hour for 2011. The increased minimum wage will apply to employers who gross more than $271,000 per year. As it stands now, Ohio's minimum wage applies to employers who gross over $267,000 per year. Additionally, tipped employees will enjoy an increase in their minimum wage in 2011. The wage increases from $3.65 per hour to $3.70 per hour.
Oregon: A boost in the state's minimum wage is set for 2011. The minimum wage will increase from $8.40 per hour to $8.50 per hour.
Rhode Island: Sixteen-year-old (or older) minors may now be employed for the purpose of operating any gasoline dispensing device, barring any laws to the contrary.
Vermont: The state has ratified the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact, which may affect employee background checks.
Washington: Employers may not discriminate against employees who take leave for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
How have state laws affected your business?
P.S. To learn more about key employment tax issues, take a peek at this IRS video.